Murder investigation continues

As the book closes on one murder case in Carthage, investigators continue to work on the latest homicide.

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By Staff reports

The Carthage Press

By Staff reports

Posted May. 2, 2012 at 12:01 AM
Updated Jul 24, 2012 at 7:40 PM

By Staff reports

Posted May. 2, 2012 at 12:01 AM
Updated Jul 24, 2012 at 7:40 PM

CARTHAGE, Mo.

As the book closes on one murder case in Carthage, investigators continue to work on the latest homicide.

Carthage Police Chief Greg Dagnan said investigators have turned “crucial pieces of evidence” over to the Missouri State Crime Lab, but he declined to say whether they have a suspect in mind.

Dagnan said no one was in custody as of 3 p.m. Monday in the murder of Mario Gonzalez, 43, a homeless Carthage man found Wednesday dead in the Spring River on the north edge of Carthage.

“We’ve worked more than 140 leads now,” Dagnan said Monday. “And we have crucial pieces of evidence at the lab right now.”

The Tri-State Major Case Squad, which helped Carthage investigators comb through more than 100 leads last Thursday and Friday, was disbanded on Saturday, but Dagnan said outside investigators were available as his department requests.

The scene of the crime was released late on Friday.

Last week, the medical examiner in Boone County determined that Gonzalez was murdered and a “sharp instrument” had been used, although Dagnan did not reveal exactly how that sharp instrument was used or what it was.

The scene of the crime was a homeless camp, made of shelters created from tarps along the river.

Officers had to hike a half a mile through woods and fallen trees to the actual crime scene.